John swegles



(No Modl.)

J. SWEGLBS- RAILROAD CROSSING.

xl|, n l\\\\\kf l i Patented Aug.l 5, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

JOI-IN sWEeLEs, OF WAYNE, MICHIGAN, AssIGNoR OF ONE-HALF To DAVID ZIMMERMAN, WILLIAM I-Ioors, HENRY Loss, AND JOHN n. WALLACE,

ALL OF SAME PLACE.

RAILROAD-CROSSING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 433,662, dated August 5, 1890. Application filed February 28, 1890. Serial No. 342,070. (No model.)

.To all whom t may concern:

Bc it known that I, JOHN SWEGLES, a citiwill be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure l is a plan view of a railroad-crossing embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same, taken on the line xx in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a perspective detail View of one of the corners of the crossing. Fig. 4 is a plan view illustrating a modification. Fig. 5 is a plan View showing the crossing as illustrated in Fig. l in the act of being shifted.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

In the drawings hereto annexed, l l designates the main-line rails of one of the tracks, and 2 2 the line-rails of the intersecting track.

3 3 and 4 4 are the crossin,g ;rails of the tracks l and 2, respectively. v

The adjacent ends of the rails l 2, l 4, 2 3, 2 l, 3 4, 4 l, 3 2, vand 4 3, or, in other words, the meeting ends of all of the rails, are cutoff Obliquely and parallel to each other, so that at the four corners of the crossing the meeting ends of the rails Willbe cut olf diagonally and parallel to each other, the ends of the entire set of rails being' vertical and parallel to each other.

Arranged diagonally under the crossing at right angles to the oblique ends of the rails on opposite sides is a shaft or cylinder 5, and similar but shorter cylindrical shafts 6 G are arranged in suitable bearings under the corners of the crossing on opposite sides of and parallel to the central shaft or cylinder 5. These shafts vor cylinders are provided at the corners of the crossing with short rail-sections 7, of a length to fit between the meeting ends of the rails. are arranged at an angle of ninety degrees to each other at each corner of the crossing, so

These short rail-sections" that by giving the said cylindrical shafts a Y of which they are mounted upon the said cylinders, and the rail-sections 7 at each corner ofthe crossing are preferably formed integrally' with each other in order to insure strength and at the same time cheapness of construction. This, however, is not essential.

The cylindrical shafts 5 and 6 are to be connected in such a manner as to be capable of being Operated simultaneously by means of a single operating-lever attached to one of the shafts. In the drawings hereto annexed each of the shafts has been provided with a downwardly-extending arm 9, said arms being connected to beams of a pivoted connecting-rod 10. The operating-lever ll has been shown attached direct to the central shaft 5. I would have it understood,however, that the said shafts may be connected and operated in any other manner thatgshall be deemed expedient or convenient without departing from the spirit of my invention. The foundation of the crossing and the bearings for the shafts or cylinders may also be constructed in any suitable manner, and I do not Wish to be understood as limiting myself to any particular construction in this respect. Locking mechanism may also be employed to secure the operating-lever in position at any adjustment.

The operation of my invention will be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings hereto annexed. It will be seen that by simply giving the cylindrical shafts a one-quarter turn either of the main tracks may be opened for the passage of cars While the other one is closed. Owing to the construction herein described it Will not be possible for the movable rail-sections to bind, and the meeting ends of the rails and movable rail-sections are not liable to be thumped out of shape by the Wheels of passing cars. It will furthermore be seen that the Weight of passing trains will be sustained by the supporting surfaces, which are not weakened by being provided with spindles of smaller diameter.

My invention is susceptible of various modiications, one of which has been illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings. By this modification four supporting shafts or cylinders (designated by l5) have been arranged at the four corners of said crossing at right angles to cach other and suitably geared together, so as to be capable of being rotated simultaneously in the proper direction.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- `1. In-a railroad-crossing, the combination, with the line-rails and the crossing-rails, the ends of which are cut off obliquely and parn allel to each other at the four corners of the crossing, of the cylindrical shafts arranged diagonally under the corners of the crossing, and the rail-connecting sections or bridgepieces mounted upon the said cylindrical shafts at right angles to each other and having obliquely-cutoff ends, substantially as set forth.

2. In a railroad-crossing, the combination, with the liner-rails and crossing-rails having their ends cut off obliquelyand vertically parallel to each other at the four corners of the crossing, of the cylindrical supportingshafts arranged diagonally at the corners of the crossing, the rail-sections mounted upon the said cylindrical shafts at right angles to each other and having their ends cut o obliquely and vertically, and suitable mechanism for simultaneously adjusting the said shafts, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN SWEGLES..

Witnesses:

GrLEs H. CoLLiNs, A. A. COLLINS.

'my own I have hereto affixed my signature 45 

